...will be renamed and relocated summer 2014, once the home server is upgraded.

Wednesday, September 4, 2013

Great Expectations

So it's fall, and I'm back, stressing out about the impending yard sale. But I'm not stressing out about the girls' schoolwork, even though we're starting fifth grade and stepping up our expectations. Another thing I'm not stressing out about is the kids' book club.

We had our first meeting this afternoon and kicked off the school year discussing Carl Hiaasen's Chomp. I'm a little annoyed that I forgot to take a photo of the bat on the cheesecake, but no matter. We've got a fantastic schedule lined up this year, and I'll post a short review of each book on the Monday after we've run our discussion. I'll even include links to discussion guides. In February, I'll talk about why and how I started our book club. Pssst! Because dissecting books with kids is freakish fun!

Just because we're homeschoolers and our meetings are in the middle of the week (and the middle of the day), there's no reason why you can't start up a book club for your own kids. Of course, I'm assuming that you're like me. Surely I'm not the only person accoutered with paperbacks, accosting people and demanding that they join me in analyzing a character's motives. If you're not like me, don't sweat it: you can throw your arms up in self-protection and drive me back with the threat of a reality show. As I cringe and back away, however, please consider making a deal with your best friend: you'll bring the snacks if she'll run the discussion. Elaborate cakes are not a necessity.

Here's what you can look forward to:

September - Chomp by Carl Hiaasen

October - The Tail of Emily Windsnap by Liz Kessler

November - The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

December - Tucker's Countryside by George Selden

January - Smile by Raina Telgemeier

February - Running a kid's book club

March - Percy Jackson and the Olympians, The Sea of Monsters by Rick Riordan

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Wendy is a former English teacher who figured out that a love of reading and learning is not the same thing as wanting to teach. Inexplicably drawn to corner-lot houses, she lives in New England where she homeschools her daughters and writes MG and YA fiction. Wendy writes, knits, and reads at odd hours of the day and night. When she talks to her dog, the dog talks back. Fortunately the children don't, yet.
Find her on Ravelry: anywaybecause
Follow her on Twitter: @wendymmcdonald and @maisiebeagle